


An Unstoppable Force and an Immovable Object

by B Snicket (Turdle)



Category: Cain Saga and Godchild, Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler, Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Alternate History, Alternate Universe, Arson, Butlers, Canon - Book, Canon - Manga, Complete, Crimes & Criminals, Crossover, Fire, Gen, Gothic, London, Nobility, Secret Societies, V.F.D., Victorian, arson murder no jaywalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-23
Updated: 2012-10-23
Packaged: 2017-11-16 21:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/544175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turdle/pseuds/B%20Snicket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I remorsefully must inform you, Dear Reader, that this particular account begins with woe and confusion, and does not end with much improvement. If you were in the market for a particularly pleasing tale that had nothing at all to do with spurious servants and egregious Earls, then I must recommend you pass by this record, for everything within is absolutely true and duly depressing. If you are quite lacking in sense, and insist upon reading this text anyways, do know that it follows the investigation of one Earl Hargreaves by one Earl Phantomhive after a terrible fire.</p>
<p>- B. Snicket</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unstoppable Force and an Immovable Object

**Author's Note:**

> > _“Remember, Remember, the 5th of November, the gunpower, treason and plot,_   
> _I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason, should ever be forgot.”_
> 
> \- English Nursery Rhyme, reminding young children why they burn effigies of a man on November 5th, the anniversary of a failed attempt to burn down Parliament.
>
>> “What is obvious is that the history fo the creation of the V.F.D. itself goes back much further than previously suspected.[1] What few contacts remain in the annals of history illustrate is that the V.F.D. did not originate with the ordinary man and woman. Rather, the V.F.D. took its initial origins within the rich and the English Nobility, among those both Monarchists, and select unknown members of the House of Lords.[2] One could suspect this was the initial purpose of the V.F.D. as fire putter-outers; a tight knit group of political power to ensure their will in everything. A force, perhaps, to combat the Fire Starters of the world.
>> 
>> It is with great despair, however, that any scholar must realize all records predating this century are tenuous at best, the strongest links to the original V.F.D. all but destroyed by the political upheavals following the Reformation, and the stabilization of the Anglican Church in favor of the Roman Catholic Church in England, leading to further separations between the members of the then V.F.D. that would eventually cause the more commonly known Great Schism…” 
> 
> — Excerpt from  _The Clear and Concise History of the V.F.D_., Chapter Three: The Origins of the V.F.D. and The Schism, compiled by B. Snicket. 

Without exception, when a member of the peerage died in a tragic estate fire, the first question anyone bothered to ask was who stood to inherit the lands which the estate maintained.

It was with a mild distaste that Ciel Phantomhive had been instructed by her Highness, the Queen, to investigate the answer regarding one such arson. The Lady Rebbeca Krudge had been no more than fourteen years of age, and was the sole inheritor of her mother’s Estate, until the sudden fire. That alone had not peaked anyone’s interests, but   the clearing of the Estate’s wreckage had revealed the bodies of more than a dozen young children, each wearing ash marked porcelain masks whose painted features and styled wigs had melted grotesquely in the flames. And though Ciel found the idea of human dolls to be noxious, it was clear that the Queen expected him to investigate the matter further. 

The Krudge fire could have easily been a literal dead end, save for one small detail: there were survivors. 

“Do you know anything about the Earl Hargreaves, Sebastian?” the young Phantomhive demanded, stepping down from his black carriage with his butler’s assistance. 

“I believe so, young Master,” the demonic manservant demurred, waiting as Ciel adjusted his coat sleeves, before following after him towards the large Hargreaves Estate. “-the Earl Cain Hargreaves is not unlike yourself. He became Earl after the death of his father, Alexis. At this time I believe he is seven and ten years old, with a young half-sister named Merryweather. His adoption of her caused quite the scandal, if you would recall, she was the previous Earl’s illegitimate child. The Hargreaves are also known for their specialty in poisons, and his butler is a man by the name of Riff. A failed doctor.” Sebastian continued in a hushed tone as they made their way up the front walk. 

“Hmph.” Ciel replied, feeling rather unimpressed with the idea of a failed doctor acting as a butler. It was almost obscene, and he had little concern for their supposed connections. Apart from inherited titles, Ciel doubted he had very much in common with the Hargreaves boy at all. “I have no interest in making friends, Sebastian.”

“Of course not, Master.” His butler replied emphatically. “But I was simply regarding that we should be careful to know even our enemies.”

Ciel passed him another mildly bored look before he came to a slow stop before the towering house. It stood with the same imposing grandeur as the Phantomhive household did, and was done in much of the same style: dark stone, meticulously cultivated ivies, and a foreboding surrounding garden that spoke to the Hargreaves penchant for poisonous plants. A cutting London breeze whipped at Ciel’s black coat, and he stood impassively, waiting for one of the Hargreaves servants to usher them forth past the heavy front doors.

The interior of the front hall was suitably luxurious, done in a recent fashionable style that Ciel had become quite familiar with unwillingly as Lizzie had rambled on and on about his parlor’s decorations, and the latest in popular color coordination.

They were greeted within by a particularly tall man, with blue-blonde hair and broad, cutting shoulders, that were fit under a precisely tailored suit much like Sebastian’s. He smiled at them both pleasantly, bowing in Ciel’s presence. “Ah, you must be the Earl Phantomhive. Welcome. I am the humble Hargreaves butler, Riff. My master has been expecting you. Please, follow me.”

“I suppose you’ve insinuated why we’re here?” Ciel pressed, as he followed Riff down the corridor to what he naturally knew to be the sitting room. 

They came to a stop, and Ciel’s gaze fixated on the far point of the room, where the the other young Earl was sitting down, waiting patiently. Cain’s black eyes swept upwards, locking with Ciel’s in an intense stare that seemed determined to puzzle the other boy out. Taken aback, Ciel frowned politely, as Cain stood up. It didn’t take much thought, but already, Ciel was more than certain he had reasons to dislike and distrust this other boy.

“—Naturally, we assumed that it would be about the Krudge fire,” Cain said with a rich smile, his natural ease growing as Riff returned to his side. “Unfortunately, dealing with the trauma it has inflicted upon my beloved young sister has been a trying event, and we were at first loathe to discuss it.”

“Of course,” Sebastian stepped in, “We might only imagine how horrifying that must have been.” 

“Indeed, it was.” came Cain’s even reply as he gestured to Riff, a seeming cue that had the other butler fetch forth a silver tray that held a tea set and petit fours. “Please sit, Riff is an excellent tea preparer, and I assumed you would be joining us for elevenses.” 

Further annoyed by the older boy’s relaxed manner, Ciel glared before he sat down on the couch across from Cain. “I’m afraid we don’t have much time to dawdle without discussing the matter at hand.” he sniffed, peering down at the earl grey that now steamed in a cup and saucer before him. Sebastian raised a brow from where he stood to the side, but said nothing. Ciel bit back further irritation, and continued. “-Thank you for your hospitality, but you can see why I might object to being served refreshments from someone who is known for their expertise in poisons.” 

Cain’s face reflected a careful mask of hurt. “I’m offended you would imply I would poison a guest.” 

“I have every reason to believe you burned down a house full of kidnapped children, I shan’t think poison would be out of the question. I have been sent by her Majesty, the Queen, to find out who has been taking these children, and why. And you, Earl Hargreaves, manage to escape a burning house full of children dressed as dolls, along with your bastard of a sister.” Ciel accused sharply.  ”Pray tell, how did you do it? Did you intend to burn Lady Krudge’s house down?”

This seemed to produce the proper fury from Cain that Ciel hoped to elicit, and the older boy’s mouth turned downwards suddenly, anger furrowing his brow. “You would do well to not discuss my sister in that manner in front of me, Earl Phantomhive.” he warned in a deep and low tone that Ciel’s register could not hit. “I saved my dear sister from being turned into a living doll for Lady Krudge’s sick amusement. A terrifying fate I could not have saved those other children from. It was too late for them.”

From across the room, Riff straightened in protectiveness, face drawn and sober. If he was also offended by the implications of his tea being less than consumable, he did not reveal it. Regarding him with little more than a displeased glance, Ciel carried on. “You must have imagined that you would have come into suspicion in regards to the disappearing children.”

The elder teen frowned imperiously. “I’m a man concerned with tinctures and chemicals, not arson, and certainly not kidnapping children, Mister Phantomhive.” Whether or not Cain Hargreaves was truly a man at all was debatable, but Ciel kept his mouth shut as he shorted in derision. 

This seemed to ruffle the feathers of Riff, who eyed both Sebastian and Ciel warily once more, before refilling his master’s teacup, and ignoring Ciel’s own untouched china. Silence filled the room with a permanent air, and Cain’s eyes flickered to his sitting room’s fireplace, crackling in the corner. “You don’t believe I did it, and you’re running out of leads. So you came to harass me.”

Saying nothing in response, Ciel looked down his nose as best he could before watching for Sebastian in the corner of his eye. Sebastian did what he did best: continued to appear to be nothing less than a perfectly respectable and well trained, but harmless butler.

Cain continued. “You of all people must know the sorts of enemies an Earl attracts; enemies of a certain calibre. Rebecca Krudge acted with her nurse to steal my sister, although make no mistake, the people who supplied her other dolls are people that I take my own issues with.” 

“-Enemies of a certain calibre don’t concern me.” Ciel said with a confidant finality. 

“And yet you are here, which does mean they are a concern.” Cain said softly, setting his cup of tea back down on its saucer. He passed a glance to his butler, and then pursed his lips, eying the younger, newer model of himself. It was nothing to be bothered by now, but Cain had little doubt in his mind that in a few years, the Queen’s lapdog would prove to be a massive headache and a direct competition for him. “But as much as I hate to say it Earl Phantomhive, I’ll help you track these people.”

“You will?” 

“Of course,” Cain said with a cryptic smile. “I too, am an enemy of a certain calibre.”


End file.
